South Foreland, Victorian lighthouse and maritime museum on White Cliffs, Dover, England
South Foreland is a lighthouse and museum on the white cliffs near Dover, featuring a white tower about 21 meters tall. The museum displays navigation equipment, radio technology, and how lighthouse systems developed over time.
The lighthouse was built in 1843 to protect ships from the Goodwin Sands, a dangerous tidal area offshore. In 1899, it received the first international radio transmission from France, marking it as a milestone in wireless communication.
The place tells the story of humanity's relationship with the sea through the equipment and tools on display. Visitors can observe how maritime technology evolved and what role this lighthouse played in that journey.
Access is seasonal, mainly from spring through autumn, and is organized by the National Trust. There is a tearoom on site and the cliffs offer broad views, so visitors should expect changing weather and wear suitable footwear.
Michael Faraday conducted experiments here, making this the first lighthouse in the world to use electric light for maritime navigation. This pioneering work happened well before electric lighting became common elsewhere.
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